Pradyuman Thakur murder at Ryan International School

A chill ran down my spine when I read the news of a murder of seven year old boy in an elite school. As parents we choose the best for our children. The only reason we pay exorbitant fees at elite schools at the extent of burning hole in our pockets is that we need an assurance that our kids are in safe hands. Alas installing CCTV's and hanging safe school awards in school premises don't assert that you will be spared of any such incidents. Watching the victim's mother break down on TV is the last thing any parent would ever want to see. What really bothers is that the way the school has handled the incident. First making Ashok Kumar, the bus conductor a criminal and then the same conductor is giving contradictory statements. 

Even though the prima facie suggests that the conductor tried to sexually assault the child, I wonder if anyone would do something like this when the school has just begun. I mean the early hours in any school will be indulged in assembly, singing national anthem etc. Why would someone do something like this at the beginning of school. And how did someone bring a knife in school campus? There are many unanswered questions and I can barely imagine what the victim's family must be going through. 

My 3 yr old son travels 3kms in a school van to reach his school. In the beginning, I cried my heart out when I had to leave him in a van all on his own. It's very hard for a mother to let her child away in the world away from her. Each day numerous thoughts cross my mind and I try to stay positive. Such news add more to any mother's anxiety. The school, the teachers, the aayahs are now the child's world and what parents need is assurance from the school that they won't let us down. They will take utmost care of our children.

We live in a society where we are reminded that being mother of a son is easier than being mother of a daughter. Most of the times we are extra cautious when it comes to our daughters and we feel that nothing can happen to our sons. But I can tell you that being mother of a son is nothing different. We all face the same anxieties, fears. Any form of child abuse can occur irrespective of the gender of child. The only thing that is in our hands is that we can be more vigilant and educate our children to alert us when they face any such incidents. May the victim's soul rest in peace and his family get all the strength to fight.